Wiki 32551 tube thoracostomy

[jewlz0879]

Can you bill for chest tube (32551) when done through a separate incision on the contralateral side of an open procedure?

I know NCCI says it is bundled when performed on the same patient, same encounter with an open procedure but I was wondering about contralateral.

Thanks

 

[lisammy]

Would kind of depend on the reason. If the pt had a left VATS for a lung mass and then they put in a rt chest tube for right sided pleural effusion, then i would say yes with a -59 and a seperate dx.

 

[jewlz0879]

Okay, great. Thanks so much!